| abdominal |
pertaining to the abdomen |
| adaptive |
able to respond to changing circumstances; describes the immune response which is specific to a particular organism or cell surface marker |
| adenoid |
a collection of immune tissue at the top back of the oral cavity |
| adenoidectomy |
surgical removal of the adenoids |
| adenoiditis |
inflammation of the adenoids |
| affinity |
attraction for another person or substance |
| agranulocyte |
an immune cell without microscopic granules |
| albumin |
the most abundant protein in the liquid component of blood (plasma); also found in egg whites |
| anaphylaxis |
a condition in which the innate immune system goes out of control and threatens life |
| anastomosis |
the joining of two or more vessels |
| anemia |
a condition of low oxygen carrying capacity in the blood (literally, "without hemoglobin in the blood") |
| aneurysmectomy |
surgical removal of an aneurysm |
| angina pectoris |
pain in the chest, possibly indicating a myocardial infarction ("heart attack") |
| angiocarditis |
inflammation of the heart and the large blood vessels |
| angioedema |
swelling due to leakage from blood vessels (often from an abnormal immune response) |
| angiogenesis |
the process of creating blood vessels |
| angiogram |
a record of the anatomy of blood vessels |
| angiography |
a procedure for visualizing the anatomy of blood vessels |
| angiolith |
a calcified clot in the blood vessels |
| angioplasty |
surgical revision of the blood vessels |
| angiopoiesis |
the process of creating blood vessels |
| angiorrhaphy |
suturing blood vessels |
| angiosclerosis |
hardening of blood vessel walls due to disease |
| angioscope |
instrument for looking inside blood vessels |
| anisocytosis |
condition where red blood cells are not all the same size or shape |
| antianginal |
drug which relieves angina pectoris |
| antiarrythmic |
drug which helps re-establish normal heart rhythm |
| antibody |
protein which is an essential part of the adaptive immune defense; made by activated B lymphocytes |
| anticoagulant |
drug which interferes with the clotting response |
| antidiuretic |
drug which prevents the excessive production of urine |
| antigen |
a biological substance which provokes an immune response, especially one involving the formation of antibodies |
| antihypertensive |
drug which reduces blood pressure |
| aortalgia |
pain in the aorta |
| aortectasia |
abnormal dilation of the aorta |
| aortic |
pertaining to the aorta |
| aortitis |
inflammation of the aorta |
| aortogram |
a record of the anatomy of the aorta |
| aortolith |
a calcified clot in the aorta |
| aortorrhaphy |
suturing the aorta |
| aortotomy |
cutting into the aorta |
| apex |
the highest point |
| apheresis |
removal of the blood, separation of one or more blood components, followed by the return of the remainder |
| aplastic |
unable to form (e.g. blood in the bone marrow) |
| appendix |
an immune organ which is attached to the large intestine near the junction with the small intestine; short for vermiform ("wormlike") appendix |
| arrest |
a stopping (e.g. cardiac arrest, stopping the heart cycle) |
| arrhythmia |
abnormal rhythm of the heart |
| arterectomy |
surgical removal of an artery |
| arteriogram |
a record of the anatomy of arteries |
| arteriole |
small artery |
| arteriolith |
a calcified clot in the arteries |
| arteriopathy |
disease of the arteries |
| arterioplasty |
surgical revision of the arteries |
| arteriorrhaphy |
suturing of an artery |
| arteriorrhexis |
rupture of an artery |
| arteriosclerosis |
hardening of arteries due to disease |
| arteriosus |
containing many arteries |
| arteritis |
inflammation of one or more arteries |
| artery |
vessel which leads away from the heart |
| asplenia |
condition of no spleen |
| atherectomy |
surgical removal of an atherosclerotic plaque |
| atherogenesis |
the process of creating atherosclerotic plaques |
| atherosclerosis |
the formation of hardened plaques (collections of fat, cholesterol, cellular waste, calcium, and fibrin) in arteries |
| atrial |
pertaining to the atrium |
| atrioventricular |
pertaining to the atrium and ventricle |
| atrioventricular bundle |
electrical conduction path between the atrioventricular node and the heart muscle |
| atrioventricular node |
secondary pacemaker for the heart; a way for the heart to maintain rhythm if the sinoatrial node fails |
| atrium |
two of the four chambers of the heart; where the blood first enters the heart (by analogy with the atrium of a Roman villa) |
| autoimmune |
immune attack on one's own tissues |
| autoregulation |
maintenance of one's blood pressure or flow regardless of changing conditions (e.g. when standing) |
| autorhythmicity |
pacemaker activity of the heart |
| axillary |
pertaining to the armpit |
| baroreceptor |
receptor for detecting blood pressure |
| basophil |
white blood cell whose granules stain intensely for basic dyes (e.g. hematoxylin, a dark blue or purple dye) |
| biconcave |
having indentations on two sides (such as the shape of a normal red blood cell) |
| bicuspid |
having two sharp leaflets (such as the mitral valve of the heart); the bicuspid and mitral valves are two names for the same thing |
| bilirubinemia |
condition of excess bilirubin in the blood (bilirubin is a product of the breakdown of red blood cells) |
| bradycardia |
condition of slow heartbeat |
| bundle branches |
the part of the electrical conduction pathway of the heart that branches off the atrioventricular bundle (bundle of His) and leads to the Purkinje fibers |
| bundle of His |
atrioventricular bundle |
| capillary |
blood vessel where oxygen and glucose are exchanged for waste products; joins an arteriole and a venule |
| cardiac |
pertaining to the heart |
| cardiomegaly |
enlargement of the heart due to disease |
| cardiomyocyte |
a heart muscle cell |
| cardiomyopathy |
disease of the heart muscle |
| cardiomyotomy |
cutting into the heart muscle |
| cardiothoracic |
pertaining to the heart and chest |
| cardiotonic |
a drug that strengthens the heart |
| cardiotoxic |
poisonous to the heart |
| cardiovascular |
pertaining to the heart and blood vessels |
| cardioversion |
restoring a normal heart rhythm |
| carditis |
inflammation of the heart |
| catheterization |
introducing a tube into a vessel in order to add drugs, remove blood, or insert surgical instruments |
| cephalic |
pertaining to the head |
| chordæ tendineæ |
tiny strands of connective tissue which anchor the heart valves in place |
| circulation |
the movement of blood around in a continuous circuit |
| circumflex |
bent like a circle |
| coagulation |
the process of blood clotting |
| coagulopathy |
disease of the clotting pathway |
| conduction |
movement of electrically charged particles in the heart |
| congestive |
heart disease characterized by the buildup of fluid |
| contractile |
able to shorten in response to electrical stimulation |
| coronary |
the arteries of the heart, named because of their resemblance to a crown |
| cyanosis |
abnormal blue color of the skin or other organs |
| cytapheresis |
removal of the blood with separation of blood cells, followed by the return of the plasma (fluid portion of blood) |
| cytokine |
extracellular chemical signals which promote movement or differentiation of immune cells |
| cytopenia |
abnormally low levels of cells in the blood |
| cytotoxic |
poisonous to cells |
| deoxygenated |
blood that has delivered its oxygen cargo to cells in capillaries |
| diaphoresis |
excessive sweating as a symptom of another illness |
| diastole |
relaxation of the heart |
| diastolic |
pertaining to relaxation of the heart, e.g. the lowest value in blood pressure |
| differential |
the process of taking things apart to analyze them, for example a list of diagnoses, or blood cells |
| differentiation |
the process by which a cell becomes different from its parent (stem) cell |
| dilate |
enlargement of a round structure |
| ductus |
Latin word for tube or channel |
| dysrhythmia |
disease characterized by an abnormal heart rhythm pattern |
| echocardiogram |
a record of the anatomy of the heart, obtained using sound waves |
| echocardiography |
a procedure for visualizing the anatomy of the heart, obtained using sound waves |
| effusion |
fluid leaking from a vessel or organ |
| electrocardiogram |
a record of the electrical activity of the heart |
| electrocardiography |
a procedure for observing the electrical activity of the heart |
| elliptocytosis |
condition where red blood cells have an abnormal oval shape |
| embolectomy |
surgical removal of an embolus |
| embolus |
a plug in a vessel, often made up of air, fat, or a clot |
| endocarditis |
inflammation of the inner lining of the heart |
| endocardium |
innermost layer of the heart |
| endoscopy |
using a tube-like camera to look inside an organ |
| eosinophil |
white blood cell whose granules stain intensely for acidic dyes (e.g. eosin, a bright red dye) |
| epicardium |
outermost layer of the heart |
| epitope |
place on the outer surface of an antigenic molecule which attracts binding of an antibody |
| erythrocyte |
a red blood cell |
| erythrocytosis |
abnormally high number of red blood cells |
| erythropoiesis |
the process of creating red blood cells |
| erythropoietin |
protein hormone which promotes the formation of red blood cells |
| externa |
outside |
| extrinsic |
coming from outside |
| femoral |
pertaining to the thigh (femur) |
| fenestrated |
containing many microscopic holes ("windows") |
| fibrillation |
abnormally rapid heart rhythym which interferes with the effective pumping action of the heart |
| fibrin |
protein which forms clots |
| fibrinogen |
protein which is a precursor to fibrin |
| fibrinolysis |
breakdown of fibrin clots |
| fibrous |
filled with fibers |
| granulocyte |
an immune cell with microscopic granules that can be seen with staining protocols |
| granzyme |
an enzyme found in the granules of granulocytes which is used to disable invaders |
| hapten |
a molecule that attaches to a non-antigenic molecule, making it into an effective antigen |
| hematocrit |
a test to determine the number of red blood cells in a blood draw |
| hematology |
the study of blood and blood diseases |
| hematopoiesis |
the process of creating blood (i.e. blood cells) |
| hemoglobin |
the protein responsible for carrying oxygen (and to a lesser extent, carbon dioxide) in red blood cells |
| hemoglobinopathy |
disease of hemoglobin production |
| hemolysis |
breakdown of blood, particularly red blood cells |
| hemophilia |
disease characterized by an abnormally poor clotting response (literally, "love of blood" because of the amount of blood produced by wounds) |
| hemorrhage |
abnormally large flow of blood (literally, "blood bursting forth") |
| hemostasis |
blood stoppage due to clotting or the use of a surgical procedure (e.g. cautery) or instrument (e.g. a hemostat) |
| hemostatic |
tending to promote the stoppage of blood |
| hepatosplenitis |
inflammation of the liver and spleen |
| histamine |
extracellular chemical signal released in the inflammatory response |
| histocompatibility |
the ability of transplanted tissue to evade the body's immune defenses (literally, "the ability of tissue to get along with others") |
| hydrostatic |
pressure due to the pumping action of the heart |
| hyperbilirubinemia |
condition of too much bilirubin in the blood |
| hypercoagulability |
condition of too much blood clotting |
| hypersplenism |
condition of too much spleen action (e.g. removal of normal red blood cells) |
| hypertension |
condition where blood pressure is too high |
| hypertrophic |
pertaining to a condition of too much growth |
| hypertrophy |
condition of too much growth |
| hypervolemia |
condition of too much blood volume |
| hypoperfusion |
condition of too little blood delivery to tissues |
| hypotension |
condition where blood pressure is too low |
| hypovolemia |
condition of too little blood volume |
| iliac |
pertaining to the flank or small intestine |
| immunity |
the process by which the body defends itself against microbial invaders |
| immunocompetent |
able to mount an effective immune response |
| immunocompromised |
unable to mount an effective immune response |
| immunodeficient |
able to mount only a weak or ineffective immune response |
| immunoglobin |
a protein involved in the immune response; antibody |
| immunology |
the study of the immune system and its dysfunction |
| immunosuppression |
the process of lowering or incapacitating the immune response |
| inflammation |
the innate immune response; the four cardinal signs are redness, heat, swelling, and pain |
| inguinal |
pertaining to the groin |
| innate |
"built-in"; describes the immune response which is not specific to a particular organism or cell surface marker |
| intercalated |
inserted in between layers |
| interleukin |
extracellular chemical signal which affects white blood cells primarily |
| interstitial |
the space between cells (including the fluid which resides there) |
| interventricular |
between the ventricles of the heart |
| intima |
inside |
| intrinsic |
coming from factors within a tissue or organ |
| ischemia |
lack of blood supply |
| jugular |
vein of the neck which carries blood from the brain and head back to the heart |
| laparosplenectomy |
surgical removal of the spleen through a small incision in the abdomen |
| leukemia |
a cancer characterized by a large number of abnormally formed white blood cells |
| leukocyte |
a white blood cell |
| leukocytosis |
abnormally high levels of white blood cells |
| leukopenia |
abnormally low levels of white blood cells |
| lymphadenectomy |
surgical removal of lymph nodes (lymph glands) |
| lymphadenitis |
inflammation of lymph nodes |
| lymphadenopathy |
disease of the lymph nodes |
| lymphadenotomy |
cutting into the lymph nodes |
| lymphangiectasia |
abnormal dilation of the lymphatic vessels |
| lymphangiogram |
a record of the anatomy of the lymphatic vessels |
| lymphangiography |
a procedure for visualizing the anatomy of the lymphatic vessels |
| lymphangitis |
inflammation of one or more lymphatic vessels |
| lymphedema |
swelling of the lymphatic vessels |
| lymphocyte |
a subtype of white blood cell that either controls an adaptive immune attack or makes antibodies |
| lymphoid |
resembling the lymph organs |
| lymphoma |
a cancer characterized by abnormalities in the lymphocytes, a subset of white blood cells |
| lymphopenia |
low levels of lymphocytes (a subset of white blood cells) |
| macrocytosis |
condition where red blood cells are abnormally large |
| macrophage |
defensive cell in the connective tissues that engulfs and destroys invaders |
| marginal |
pertaining to the edges |
| mast cell |
defensive cell in the connective tissues that releases histamine and other chemicals |
| media |
in the middle |
| mediastinum |
the cavity which contains the heart, great vessels, part of the esophagus, and the thymus; essentially everything in the chest except lungs |
| megakaryocyte |
a cell which gives rise to platelets (thrombocytes) |
| microcytosis |
condition where red blood cells are abnormally small |
| mitral |
a heart valve that is shaped like a Roman Catholic bishop's mitre (peaked cap with a crease in the middle); same as bicuspid |
| monoclonal |
a group of cells that are all genetically identical (usually pertains to B cells which all make the same type of antibody molecule) |
| monocyte |
circulating white blood cell which transforms into a macrophage in the tissues |
| mononucleosis |
disease characterized by a large number of abnormal lymphocytes; caused by Epstein-Barr virus |
| murmur |
heart sound that resembles a rumble or groan or machinery noise |
| myeloid |
a family of blood cells which includes red blood cells and granulocytes |
| myeloma |
a cancer arising from the bone marrow |
| myelopoiesis |
the process of creating bone marrow |
| myocardial |
pertaining to the heart muscle |
| myocarditis |
inflammation of the heart muscle |
| myocardium |
the heart muscle itself (i.e. not including the inner lining or outer lining or membranes) |
| nephrosplenopexy |
surgical fixation of the kidney and spleen |
| neutropenia |
abnormally low levels of neutrophils |
| neutrophil |
white blood cell whose granules stain equally for acidic and basic dyes (e.g. both hematoxylin and eosin in the Wright stain) |
| nitroglycerin |
drug which dilates blood vessels to relieve angina pectoris |
| normocyte |
a red blood cell that is normal in size and hemoglobin content |
| normotension |
normal blood pressure |
| occlusion |
blockage |
| oligocythemia |
disease characterized by too few ("a handful of") red blood cells |
| opsonization |
process by which a bacterial invader becomes "tagged" and set up for destruction by the immune system |
| oxygenated |
blood that has picked up its oxygen cargo in the lungs |
| palpitation |
the physical feeling from a fluttery, irregular heartbeat |
| pancytopenia |
abnormally low levels of all blood cells |
| pectoralgia |
pain in the chest, possibly indicating a myocardial infarction ("heart attack") |
| pectoris |
the chest |
| perforin |
protein that attacks invading cells and pokes holes in their cell membrane |
| perfusion |
blood moving through a tissue to supply oxygen and glucose and remove wastes |
| pericardial |
pertaining to the membrane surrounding the heart |
| pericardiocentesis |
removing fluid from the pericardial cavity |
| pericardiotomy |
cutting into the pericardium |
| pericarditis |
inflammation of the pericardium |
| pericardium |
the bag-like membrane surrounding the heart |
| petechia |
red pinpoint on the skin (usually seen as the plural petichae) |
| phagocytosis |
process by which a macrophage or other immune cell surrounds, swallows, and destroys an invading cell |
| phlebalgia |
pain in the veins |
| phlebarteriectasia |
abnormal dilation of the veins and arteries |
| phlebectomy |
surgical removal of a vein |
| phlebitis |
inflammation of a vein |
| phlebologist |
a person who studies vein disease |
| phlebology |
the study of vein disease |
| phlebophlebostomy |
making a connection ("mouth") between two veins |
| phlebosclerosis |
hardening of veins due to disease |
| phlebostenosis |
narrowing of a vein |
| phlebotomist |
a person who cuts into a vein (i.e. punctures veins to remove blood for analysis) |
| phlebotomy |
cutting into a vein (i.e. venipuncture to remove blood for analysis) |
| placenta |
the tissue which supplies oxygen and nutrients to the fetus; it results from a collaboration between mother and fetus |
| plasma |
the liquid component of blood (including soluble clotting factors) |
| plasmapheresis |
removal of the blood with separation of plasma, followed by the return of the cells and platelets |
| plasmin |
protein component of the blood which breaks down fibrin when activated |
| plasminogen |
precursor protein which gives rise to plasmin when activated |
| plateau |
a flat area of a graph, such as a cardiac voltage trace |
| platelet |
cell fragment that is necessary for blood clotting (literally, "a little plate"); same as thrombocyte |
| plateletpheresis |
removal of the blood with separation of platelets, followed by the return of the other cellular components and plasma |
| pluripotent |
a stem cell which is capable of making several different types of daughter cells |
| poikilocytosis |
condition where red blood cells are of many different sizes and shapes |
| polycythemia |
disease characterized by too many red blood cells |
| popliteal |
pertaining to the dorsal surface of the knee |
| precapillary |
the segment of an arteriole before its entry into a capillary |
| pressure |
physical property that results from the collision of molecules in a liquid or gas with the walls of the container; an increase in the number of molecules results in an increase in pressure |
| progesterone |
hormone which acts in favor of gestation (carrying a child to term) |
| prolapse |
disease characterized by a floppy valve which does not close completely, permitting blood to regurgitate |
| prothrombin |
precursor protein which gives rise to thrombin when activated |
| prothrombinase |
enzyme which acts on prothrombin |
| pulmonary |
pertaining to the lungs |
| Purkinje fibers |
the part of the electrical conduction system that spreads over the entire surface of the ventricle |
| regurgitation |
movement in a direction opposite to the normal flow |
| reperfusion |
restoring blood to a tissue or organ that has lost blood supply temporarily |
| restrictive |
type of heart muscle disease characterized by stiffness of the heart muscle |
| resuscitation |
bringing someone back to life |
| reticulocyte |
the stage of red blood cell development just before maturation (named for its net-like appearance) |
| semilunar |
having a half-moon shape |
| septal |
pertaining to the wall within an organ such as the heart |
| septicemia |
abnormally large number of microorganisms in the blood |
| septoplasty |
surgical revision of the chamber walls of the heart |
| septum |
the wall between the chambers of the heart (or other organs) |
| serum |
the liquid component of blood after soluble clotting factors are removed |
| sinoatrial |
pertaining to the atrium of the heart, and the nearby coronary sinuses (which receive venous blood from the heart) |
| sinusoid |
resembling a sinus (large, hollow space) |
| spherocyte |
an abnormally round red blood cell |
| spherocytosis |
condition where red blood cells are abnormally rounded |
| sphygmomanometer |
device for measuring blood pressure (blood pressure cuff) |
| spleen |
organ in the upper left abdomen, important in the immune response and in removing aged red blood cells |
| splenalgia |
pain in the spleen |
| splenectomy |
surgical removal of the spleen |
| splenitis |
inflammation of the spleen |
| splenodynia |
pain in the spleen |
| splenolysis |
breakdown of the tissue of the spleen |
| splenomalacia |
softening of the spleen due to disease |
| splenomegaly |
enlargement of the spleen due to disease |
| splenopathy |
disease of the spleen |
| splenoptosis |
drooping of the spleen (movement of the spleen out of its normal position) |
| splenorrhexis |
rupture of the spleen |
| stasis |
holding back |
| stenosis |
narrowing of a tube or vessel |
| striated |
showing obvious stripes |
| subclavian |
pertaining to an area below the clavicle (collarbone) |
| submandibular |
pertaining to an area below the mandible (lower jaw) |
| systemic |
affecting the entire system |
| systole |
contraction of the heart |
| systolic |
pertaining to contraction of the heart, e.g. the peak value in blood pressure |
| tachycardia |
condition of fast heartbeat |
| tamponade |
pressure on the heart due to the buildup of fluid in the pericardial sac |
| telangiectasia |
abnormal dilation of the "end" (smallest) blood vessels |
| thrombin |
protein component of the blood which makes up a key part of the clotting cascade |
| thrombocyte |
platelet |
| thrombocytopenia |
abnormally low levels of platelets (thrombocytes) |
| thrombocytosis |
abnormally high levels of platelets (thrombocytes) |
| thromboembolism |
a plug in a vessel from a clot |
| thrombogenic |
drug or substance which promotes blood clotting |
| thrombophlebitis |
inflammation of a vein due to formation of a clot |
| thromboplastin |
blood protein which is part of the clotting pathway |
| thrombus |
clot |
| thymic |
pertaining to the thymus |
| thymopathy |
disease of the thymus |
| thymus |
immune organ in the mediastinum; responsible for the maturation of T lymphocytes |
| titer |
the amount of antibody needed to cause a particular response, such as inactivation of a foreign protein |
| tonsil |
a collection of immune tissue on either side of the throat |
| tonsillectomy |
surgical removal of the tonsils |
| tonsillitis |
inflammation of the tonsils |
| transesophageal |
across the esophagus (especially where it is close to the heart in the mediastinum) |
| transfusion |
moving blood from one person to another |
| tricuspid |
having three sharp leaflets (such as the tricuspid valve of the heart) |
| tunica |
tunic or coat; refers to layers of a blood vessel |
| umbilical |
pertaining to the connection between placenta and fetus |
| vagus |
nerve which innervates most of the thoracic and abdominal organs |
| valvectomy |
surgical removal of a heart valve |
| valvotomy |
surgical revision of a heart valve (same as valvuloplasty or valvulotomy); the surgical revision involves making cuts into it |
| valvular |
pertaining to a valve |
| valvulitis |
inflammation of a heart valve |
| valvuloplasty |
surgical revision of a heart valve (same as valvotomy or valvulotomy) |
| valvulotomy |
surgical revision of a heart valve (same as valvotomy or valvuloplasty); the surgical revision involves making cuts into it |
| varicose |
abnormally dilated |
| varicotomy |
cutting into a varicose vein |
| vascular |
pertaining to the blood vessels |
| vasculitis |
inflammation of the blood vessels |
| vasoconstriction |
the process of reducing the diameter of a blood vessel |
| vasoconstrictor |
a drug which reduces the diameter of a blood vessel |
| vasodilation |
the process of increasing the diameter of a blood vessel |
| vasodilator |
a drug which increases the diameter of a blood vessel |
| vasopressin |
a hormone which increases blood pressure (same as antidiuretic hormone) |
| vasopressor |
a drug which increases blood pressure |
| vasospasm |
an abnormal contraction in the muscles of the arterial wall, potentially causing a loss of blood supply and/or increase in blood pressure |
| vegetation |
a growth on a heart valve |
| vein |
blood vessel leading to the heart |
| vena cava |
the largest blood vessels leading to the right atrium of the heart (superior vena cava; inferior vena cava) |
| venectomy |
surgical removal of a vein |
| venogram |
a record of the anatomy of the veins |
| venosclerosis |
hardening of veins due to disease |
| venospasm |
an abnormal contraction in the muscles of the walls of veins |
| venostasis |
blood which pools and does not move normally within veins |
| venosus |
containing many veins |
| venous |
pertaining to the veins |
| ventricle |
two of the four chambers of the heart; where the blood is pumped out of the heart to the lungs or body |
| ventriculotomy |
cutting into a heart ventricle |
